The Abolitonist Movement

The goal of the abolitionist movement was to achieve emancipation for all slaves in the U.S. and to end the segregation and discrimination of African Americans. It was started by William Lloyd Garrison in the 1830s. This man not only believed that African Americans should be freed from slavery; he also believed that they deserved to have all of the same rights as Whites did. In late 1833, the New England Garrisonians, New York Reformers, and Philadelphia Quakers all met each other with freed African Americans and created an organization called the American Anti-Slavery Society. All members were known as abolitionists.

The goal of this organization was to bring all slaves immediate freedom without compensation for their owners. In addition, they wanted all African Americans to have equal rights as Whites. This was the hardest goal of the organization to complete. Though the North did not believe in slavery and felt as though it should stop, they did not think that Blacks were equal to them in anyway. They believed that African Americans were inferior to Whites in every way.

Abolitionists put all of their effort into changing these Northern views in order to accomplish their goal. At first they began putting their efforts into church members; focusing on the immorality of slavery and how it goes against the ways of Christ. Soon enough, there were many followers and supporters of the abolitionists.

However, as more people began to support the abolitionists’ views on slavery, more people began to be heavily against their views. There were many riots and demonstrations against the abolitionists. Several freed African Americans had to cross the border into Canada to stay away from the violent antiabolitionists.

The American Anti-Slavery Society knew they needed a new tactic in order to succeed in the emancipation of slaves. Abolitionists felt if they were to educate Blacks, then Whites would not feel as though African Americans were entirely inferior to them. Unfortunately, once they began attempting this tactic, even more riots occurred. Northerners became frightened that educated Blacks would end up stealing their jobs and ruining their economy. Abolitionists found it extremely difficult to change the views of White Northerners.

Garrison and his organization may not have immediately seen their goal accomplished, however as a result of their efforts; the matter of slavery was brought into the eyes of every citizen of America.

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